cross country move: is it worth it? (Tampa: chapel, job market)

[margothegreat]

I am planning a cross country move from Boston to Florida. I have an associates degree in CJ and am due to graduate this upcoming May with a BA in sociology. I cant complain about my resume, you'd be surprised how transferable skills are when you really sit and analyze; I've got a GPA which i am very proud of and is bound to impress, and am bi-lingual (its usually a plus up here, how about down there?). I have also saved up enough to survive for at least six months, (including a vehicle to get me around in the budget) and have family in the tampa bay area whom are more than willing to help. I planned on attempting a job search once I was in the area, since i figure employers would shy away from an applicant who didn't live in the vicinity.

Guess my question is simple. Does this seem like a legitimate plan, and if not, what steps would you Floridians recommend this eager young lady ready to build a life in another state?

[maggiekate]

Originally Posted by margothegreat

I am planning a cross country move from Boston to Florida. I have an associates degree in CJ and am due to graduate this upcoming May with a BA in sociology. I cant complain about my resume, you'd be surprised how transferable skills are when you really sit and analyze; I've got a GPA which i am very proud of and is bound to impress, and am bi-lingual (its usually a plus up here, how about down there?). I have also saved up enough to survive for at least six months, (including a vehicle to get me around in the budget) and have family in the tampa bay area whom are more than willing to help. I planned on attempting a job search once I was in the area, since i figure employers would shy away from an applicant who didn't live in the vicinity.

Guess my question is simple. Does this seem like a legitimate plan, and if not, what steps would you Floridians recommend this eager young lady ready to build a life in another state?

maybe check out pasco county in the wesley chapel area but get the job first!

[TXRyan23]

Line up a job before you move.

Check with the Sheriffs offices for job info for criminal justice..

[kbrkr]

Congrats on your 1st step. You cannot begin to build anything here in Florida, unless you first have a JOB. Do not discount the advice of others. I would not make the move unless you have a job first.
It sounds like you won't have much of a problem your motivated, hard working ( high GPA ), and smart (doing your research).

btw, traditionally a cross country move is really from Boston to California, Boston to Florida is really a coastal move.

good luck!

[tewas]

Find a job then move. However you are partially right about employers not wanting to deal with 1000+ miles of distance when it comes to a applicants. If you are decided to move to Tampa to build your life, i would recommend to start the job search while you are in Boston. Send out multiple resumes and see if you get any hits. If you can start talking with the potential employer, then you can pull the trigger and move here. Even if the first interview won't land your a job, you will have general idea how good/bad job market it. Of course even if you move here, there are low level jobs available, i saw a cleaners place that is hiring right now, so i'm sure you can fall on similar type of job.

Good luck with job search.

[Maggi07]

I usually say that you should have a job lined up. But in your case, since you're single and you've got savings I think you could make it work. Of course, try finding a job before you move, but I don't think not finding one is necessarily a dealbreaker if you feel like you're marketable.

If you're interested in police work, St. Pete PD is looking, I believe.

[progmac]

in this economy i can't imagine a company in florida hiring a brand-new out-of-state grad site unseen. there will just be too many other options. if you are local you'll "get in the door" and that makes a huge difference, particularly if you interview well. so if you want to move, you might just have to move. have a backup plan, because things might not work out in florida.

[craigm1841]

Use a relatives address. Also, I would consider getting a local phone number.

Also, be prepared to hop on a plane last minute for an interview, which requires you to be willing to spend hundreds of dollars on a plane ticket and have an extremely flexible schedule.

If I was looking for a job and the HR Rep setting up the interview asked me if I could interview WED and it was MON, you better believe I would be moving crap around to make that WED interview, and I live in Tampa. You need to be willing to move stuff around, arrange to stay with family, and get on a plane.

The economy is NOT THAT BAD, regardless of what lazy people tell you. There are approximately 37,000 jobs advertised in the Tampa Bay area (within 25 miles). You just need to do everything you can to put things in your favor, like the tips I mentioned above, and work hard to land a job. I would suggest searching for jobs you are interested in and qualified for, and apply directly to the requisition on the companies website, as most of this stuff is electronic now.


Good Luck!

[FloridaKash]

Ahaha Boston to Tampa... cross country... .now that IS funny. Sorry, couldn't resist.

[Sunny-Days-in-Florida]

Originally Posted by FloridaKash

Ahaha Boston to Tampa... cross country... .now that IS funny. Sorry, couldn't resist.

I was laughing to until I read your post.

OP - Kash moved from Alaska to Florida. Now that is across country.

Boston is a hop and a skip to Florida.

Having a job is No. 1 period. Do not move to Florida without having one first.